NYC Cabbies Losing Money After Glitch Knocks Out Credit Card Readers

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A technical glitch has been knocking out meters, televisions, navigation systems and credit card readers in many New York City taxis, costing hundreds of cabbies a whole day’s pay.

The malfunction started to emerge Wednesday and seems to be affecting cabs with certain modems that connect to the Sprint wireless network.

Service provider Creative Mobile Technologies said as many as 2,400 cabs could be affected.

NYC Cabbies Losing Money After Glitch Knocks Out Credit Card Readers

One driver told WCBS 880’s Alex Silverman that with cash as the only option, a cabbie can’t make a living these days.

“No credit card, no cab. Nobody wants to take me,” he said. “Almost every customer – 70 to 80 percent – wants to use credit cards. For the first time I went to work and I didn’t make any money whatsoever.”

Driver Mohammed Hoque said on Thursday morning he couldn’t accept credit cards or use his meter. Then he waited in line for hours outside CMT’s Long Island City office to get the problem fixed.

“It was very, very frustrating,” Hoque said. “I lost like two shifts.”

CMT said it has been getting service restored to the cabs remotely and is looking into what caused the glitch.